Olympique de Marseille have confirmed the signing of Ethan Nwaneri on loan from Arsenal until the end of the 2025–26 season, a move designed to give the highly rated teenager regular first-team football in Ligue 1.
The agreement was completed today, as confirmed by the club’s official X account, with Marseille beating several suitors after previously leading the race for his signature, as reported by SoftFootball in their earlier update on the deal.
The 18-year-old arrives with a reputation as one of English football’s brightest young talents and will be available immediately for Roberto De Zerbi’s side. Arsenal sanctioned the move after careful consideration, believing the environment at Marseille offers the right balance of pressure and opportunity.
The Gunners were encouraged by William Saliba’s successful spell at the club and by De Zerbi’s track record of trusting young players, a factor highlighted when Nwaneri arrived in the city to complete his transfer. With competition for attacking places intense at the Emirates, the loan provides clarity and continuity for the teenager’s growth.
Nwaneri’s rise has been closely managed since his historic debut in September 2022, when he became the youngest player in Premier League history at 15 years and 181 days.
After steady exposure across cup competitions, last season marked his true breakthrough as he made 37 appearances in all competitions, including 26 in the Premier League and seven in the Champions League, scoring nine goals. This season, however, opportunities were limited to 12 appearances without a league start.
Explaining the reasoning behind the loan, Mikel Arteta stressed that development came before short-term needs, noting that protecting Nwaneri’s pathway was essential. The Arsenal manager made clear that the club did not want to stall his progress at a critical stage.
He said:
The last thing we want is to cut his development. Because he’s such a talent, he loves and breathes football.
Marseille see Nwaneri as a creative force who can operate centrally or from wide areas, bringing vision, ball control and the confidence to take on defenders. De Zerbi, while discussing squad integration, spoke about balancing experience and talent.
He said:
They’re two quality players, with experience for Timber and talent for Nwaneri.
There is no option to buy in the agreement, underlining Arsenal’s long-term commitment to the Hale End graduate, who signed a new long-term contract last summer. For now, Marseille offers the stage for Nwaneri to grow, compete and continue shaping a career that has already made history.
